LAX Arrival at Tom Bradley International Terminal: What to Do Step by Step

For millions of international travellers arriving at Los Angeles International Airport, the Tom Bradley International Terminal — known as TBIT or officially as Terminal B — is the first physical experience of the United States. And for many, it is unexpectedly confusing. TBIT is one of the largest and busiest international arrival facilities in North America, and the ground transportation options available after clearing customs are genuinely complex. This guide explains, step by step, what to do from the moment your plane lands at tom bradley international terminal lax through to being in a vehicle heading toward your destination. Whether you are heading to Disneyland, Beverly Hills, a downtown hotel, or a connecting flight, understanding the process eliminates the anxiety of navigating a new airport in a new country.

Step 1 — Landing and Taxiing to the Gate

TBIT receives the majority of international long-haul flights into LAX. Airlines operating from TBIT include British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Korean Air, Japan Airlines, and many others. Your flight will taxi to a gate on the TBIT concourse — follow the “Arrivals” signs from the aircraft.

The TBIT concourse is large. Depending on your gate, the walk to the immigration hall can be 10 to 20 minutes. There is no shuttle bus within TBIT — it is all walking on a single connected concourse. Escalators and elevators are available throughout.

Step 2 — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Immigration

All international arrivals at the tom bradley international terminal lax must clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection before exiting to the public area. This is non-negotiable regardless of your immigration status or the length of your visit.

There are two main processing streams at TBIT’s immigration hall:

• S. Citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and ESTA/Visa Waiver Program participants with a valid passport: Use the automated passport control (APC) kiosks where available. These significantly reduce wait times for eligible travellers.
• All other international visitors: Standard CBP officer lanes. These lanes are longer and wait times are less predictable.

According to LAX’s official ground transportation information, passengers should allow 45 to 90 minutes for the full immigration process during peak arrival windows (typically late afternoon and evening). This variability is one of the main reasons flight-tracked private car services are essential for international arrivals — your driver adjusts to when you actually emerge, not when you were theoretically supposed to.

Step 3 — Baggage Claim

After clearing immigration, you proceed to the TBIT baggage claim hall. Baggage carousels are numbered, and the departures board above the claim area shows which carousel your flight’s bags are on.

Important: bags from TBIT international flights are claimed at TBIT carousels even if your connecting flight boarded from a different terminal. International arrivals do not go through baggage claim at the connecting terminal — you collect everything here at TBIT, pass through customs, and then re-check your bags if you have an onward domestic connection.

Baggage claim times average 20 to 45 minutes after landing for most TBIT flights, but can extend to 60 minutes or more when multiple large international aircraft arrive simultaneously.

Step 4 — U.S. Customs Declaration

After collecting your bags, you pass through the U.S. Customs declaration checkpoint. Every arriving international passenger must present their Customs Declaration Form (Form 6059B) or electronic equivalent. For travellers who completed the CBP Mobile Passport Control (MPC) or the APC kiosk process, this step is largely automated.

Customs officers may direct you to a secondary inspection area if your declaration raises questions. This adds time to your arrival but is a normal part of the process for a percentage of arrivals. If this happens, notify your car service by text — your LAXToGo driver tracks your flight and waits at the kerb without penalty for reasonable customs delays.

Step 5 — Exiting to Ground Transportation

Once through customs, you exit the secure area into the TBIT arrivals hall — a public, unsecured space on Level 2 (Lower Level). This is where family members, friends, and car service drivers wait for arriving passengers.

The arrivals kerb is immediately outside the exit doors, accessible through a set of automatic sliding doors on the Lower Level exterior. This is where LAXToGo’s TCP-permitted vehicles are positioned — directly at the kerb, not at a separate rideshare lot.

What to Expect When Your LAXToGo Driver Meets You

When you book a car service with LAXToGo for your tom bradley international terminal lax arrival, here is exactly what happens at the kerb:

• Your driver receives an alert when your flight lands. They move to the TBIT arrivals kerb and text you their vehicle details (make, model, colour, and their name).
• You exit customs and walk through the TBIT arrivals hall exit doors. Your driver is positioned at the kerb with a name board displaying your name.
• Your driver assists with luggage loading. If you have a car seat requirement, it is already installed in the vehicle.
• You confirm your destination, settle into the vehicle, and your

LAX airport transfer begins within minutes of clearing customs. There is no shuttle to take, no app to open, and no rideshare lot to navigate.

The LAX-IT Lot: Why International Arrivals Struggle With It

Standard Uber and Lyft vehicles cannot pick up at the TBIT kerb. They are required to use the LAX-IT rideshare lot, located near Terminal 1. To reach the LAX-IT lot from TBIT, international arrivals must:

• Exit TBIT and locate the LAX Shuttle bus stop.
• Board the free shuttle and ride to the LAX-IT lot (typically 10 to 20 minutes).
• Request and wait for their rideshare vehicle in the lot.

For a solo traveller with one carry-on who has just arrived from Tokyo or London after 13 hours in the air, this is a manageable inconvenience. For a family of four with four suitcases, a stroller, and two children who have not slept properly in 24 hours, it is genuinely exhausting.

A pre-booked private car service from LAX eliminates this entirely. The vehicle is at the TBIT kerb.

Connecting Flights After TBIT: What to Do

If you are arriving at TBIT on an international flight and connecting to a domestic flight departing from a different terminal, here is the process:

• Collect your bags at the TBIT carousel, clear customs, and re-enter the secure area at the domestic connections checkpoint (if your bags are checked through).
• Follow signs to the Tom Bradley Connector walkway, which links TBIT to Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 without requiring re-security screening if your connection is on the same ticket.
• Terminals 1, 2, and 3 require taking the LAX airport shuttle from outside to reach.

For travellers whose connection is at SNA (John Wayne/Orange County Airport) or LGB (Long Beach Airport), a connecting flight may not be the most practical option. Long Beach Airport flat-rate transfers from TBIT can get you to destinations like Disneyland, Anaheim, and Orange County faster than connecting via domestic flight in many cases.

Destinations From TBIT: The Most Common Journeys

After clearing TBIT, here are the most common destinations international arrivals head to, with the appropriate LAXToGo service:

• Disneyland / Anaheim: LAX to Disneyland private car service — 35 miles, 45–90 minutes depending on traffic. The most popular international arrival route.
• Beverly Hills: LAX to Beverly Hills car service — 15 miles, 25–45 minutes.
• Santa Monica: LAX to Santa Monica car service — 8 miles, 20–40 minutes.
• Hollywood: LAX to Hollywood car service — 17 miles, 25–50 minutes.
• SoFi Stadium (FIFA World Cup): LAX to SoFi Stadium car service — 5 miles, 10–25 minutes standard; 45–90 minutes on match days.
• San Diego: LAX to San Diego car service — 120 miles, approx. 2 hours.

For practical travel planning guidance from official Los Angeles sources, the American Society of Travel Advisors provides resources for international visitors navigating U.S. airport arrivals and ground transportation for the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The tom bradley international terminal lax arrival process is consistent and manageable when you know what to expect: immigration, baggage claim, customs declaration, and exit to the arrivals kerb. The step most international travellers underestimate is the ground transportation step — where the difference between opening an app and hoping for a rideshare versus walking outside to a waiting private car is most clearly felt after a 14-hour international flight.

LAXToGo’s TCP-permitted vehicles meet you at the TBIT arrivals kerb. Your driver tracks your flight from departure. Your fare is confirmed in advance. There is no shuttle to the LAX-IT lot, no app to open with jet-lagged hands, and no uncertainty about where your car is. Book your TBIT arrival transfer at +1 (657) 334-8622 or at laxtogo.